Block device



Dec. 3, 1968 K. H. FOX

BLOCK DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1967 'fi W45 l I] BY INVENTOR. K/Z/(H Fax 3,413,812 BLOCK DEVICE Kirk H. Fox, Loomis, Calif, assiguor to Gates 8: Fox (30., Inc., Bakersfield, Califi, a corporation of California Filed Aug. 31, 1967, Ser. No. 664,666 4 Claims. (Cl. 61-45) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A block device for blocking steel ribs in place adjacent a tunnel wall. The block device includes a base plate which is secured to the rib, a stem which mates with the base plate and a cap for the stem. The cap has an outer face adjacent to the tunnel wall. Different size stems are employed depending upon the contours of the tunnel wall.

This invention relates to devices for blocking ribs in place adjacent a tunnel wall, and more particularly relates to a relatively simple block device which is secured between said ribs and the tunel wall. Heretofore, metal block devices have been formed by stacking and welding several pieces of metal channel.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new block device for blocking ribs in place adjacent a tunnel wall.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive, but yet structurally rigid, block device for retaining steel ribs in place adjacent a tunnel wall.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tunnel, steel ribs, and block devices according to the present invention installed therein;

FIGURE 2 is a side view, partially in section, taken along a line 22 of FIGURE 1 of a block device according to the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the device taken along a line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top view, partially cut-away, of the device taken along a line 4-4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the manner in which the device may be secured to a rib; and

FIGURE 6 is a view taken along a line 6-6 showing the manner in which components of the device are secured together.

Turning now to the drawing, FIGURE 1 illustrates a tunnel 10 in cross section having a rough contoured rock and dirt wall 11. The tunnel may be one formed for any of various purposes, such as through a mountain for a highway or railway. A profound steel rib 12 is placed within the tunnel. and is employed for supporting steel forms (not shown) inside the tunnel. A rib is made from standard H beam sections 13 through 16 and is fabricated to fit precisely within the tunnel 10. The lower ends 17 and 18 of the respective beam sections 13 and 16 are set on and secured to footings which typically are timber blocks or steel plates. A plurality of the ribs as shown in FIGURE 1 are used along the length of the tunnel. The ribs are coupled together by steel braces to maintain the various ribs in a proper spaced relationship and rigidly secured together. Typically, sections of two-inch metal pipe are used between adjacent ribs as compression members and three-fourth inch tie rods are used between adjacent ribs as tension members.

Acording to the concepts of the present invention, block devices 20 through are mounted between the nited States Patent 0 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 rib 12 and the wall 11 of the tunnel 10 to properly space and retain the rib in position with respect thereto. Similar blocks are used in conjunction with the other ribs along the tunnel as the tunnel is being driven. After the ribs are properly blocked in place, steel forms are secured agalnst the inside faces of the ribs, and concrete is pumped behind the forms to provide a concrete wall for the tunnel 11. The ribs become embedded in the concrete and their function along with the block devices is to prevent the tunnel from caving in until the concrete wall is formed.

Turning more specifically to the block devices 20 through 25, the block device 21 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGURES 3 through 6. The block device 21 includes a base plate 28, stem 29 and a cap 30. Inasmuch as all of the devices 20 through 25 are alike except for the length of the stem 29, only the block device 21 will be described in detail. The base plate 28 includes a metal plate member 32 having one end thereof bent to form a lip 33 which engages and hooks on an edge 34 of the beam 14, and the other end bent to form a tab 35. A cylindrical collar 36 is welded to the plate 32, and the stem 29 fits within the collar 36. The size of the base plate 28 may vary depending upon the size of the beam 14. The stem 29 is heavy duty pipe, and different size stems are provided depending upon the contours of the wall 11 of the tunnel 10. The diameter of the stem 29 also may vary depending upon the size of the beam 14. The cap 30 is in in the shape of a dome and has an arcuate outer face, and is formed of pressed steel. Steel lugs 38 through 40 are welded to the underside of the cap 30 to retain the cup in position on the stem 29. The size and thickness of the cap may be varied as desired.

The block 21 also includes a slot 42 in the collar 36 thereof. A support member 43 having a slot 44 is disposed radially with respect to the collar 36 and is Welded thereto. The slots 42 and 44 define an elongated slot for receiving a tapered steel wedge 45 (note FIGURE 6) for securing the stem 29 to the plate 28 during installation when the block device must be installed upside down, or nearly so. Additionally, a slot 47 is provided in the tab 35 of the plate member 32 for receiving a tapered steel wedge 48 in instances where a more secure coupling between the base plate and rib is desired such as when there is not a sufficiently tight fit between the block device, tunnel wall and rib.

After the rib 12 is in place, the block devices are installed by engaging the base plates thereof with the rib 12 as best seen in FIGURE 2. The device may be slid along the rib as necessary to achieve the desired fit with the wall 11. Wedges, for example wooden wedges, may be used between the outer faces of the caps 30 and the wall 11 of the tunnel for final tightening of the block devices against the tunnel wall. The steel ribs, block devices and bracing between the ribs are installed along the wall 11 of the tunnel 10 as the tunnel is being driven.

The present embodiment of this invention is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims therefore are intended stem means having an end coupled with said collar,

said collar including an aperture therethrough thereby defining a slot for receiving a wedge member to wedge together said base plate means and said stem means, and

cap means coupled with another end of said stem means and having an outer face for positioning adjacent said tunnel Wall.

2. A block device for blocking ribs in place against the wall of a tunnel comprising base plate means for connection with a rib, said base plate means including a plate member for engaging and retaining said device on a rib, said plate member including a tab having a slot therethrough for receiving a wedge device for securing said base plate means to said rib, said base plate means having a collar,

stem means having an end coupled with said collar,

and

cap means coupled with another end of said stem means and having an outer face for positioning adjacent said tunnel wall.

3. A block device as in claim 1 wherein said plate member of said base plate means includes a tab having a slot therethrough for receiving a wedge device for securing said base plate means to said rib.

4. A block device for blocking steel ribs in place adjacent the wall of a tunnel comprising base plate means for engaging said rib, said base plate means including a plate member having an in-turned lip for coupling said base plate means to said rib, a slotted tab for receiving a wedge device to secure said base plate means to said rib and a tubular collar affixed to said plate member,

hollow stem means having first and second ends, a first of said ends mating with said collar, said collar having an opening therethrough for receiving another Wedge device for securing together said stem means and said base plate means, and

an arcuate cap means having lugs depending therefrom and being coupled with the second end of said stem means, said cap means having an outer face for positioning adjacent said tunnel wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,269,418 1/1942 Anderson 61-85 2,510,688 6/1950 Evans et a]. 248-354 JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner. 

